Can a Future Cruise Credit be used to pay the deposit?

[Caribbean Chris]

We are holding a fairly substantial FCC as a result of a Covid cancellation a few months ago (thank you, HAL). Has anyone booked a new cruise and used their FCC to make the initial deposit?

 

I’d rather not pay a $1200 deposit when I have plenty of credit to be used.

[CruiserBruce]

Isn't that what FCC are for? Or are you saying the FCC is to be used to decrease the cost of a future cruise, or be used on board?

[Caribbean Chris]

4 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

Isn't that what FCC are for? Or are you saying the FCC is to be used to decrease the cost of a future cruise, or be used on board?

I’m not referring to the FCD - Future Cruise Deposit which can be bought on board for $100. 

There are some limitations… my profile section of the website says that FCCs cannot be used to pay for taxes, transfers or airfare. It is silent on the subject of using for just a deposit.
 

The last time I had a FCC, HAL applied the whole chunk at once to a new booking many months in advance, using it all up. What I want to do is use FCC for the $1200 deposit for a cruise in 6 months or so, but leave the remainder (many thousands of $$) in my account for now. I might want to place several deposits on different cruises, for example. 

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

1 minute ago, Caribbean Chris said:

I’m not referring to the FCD - Future Cruise Deposit which can be bought on board for $100. 

There are some limitations… my profile section of the website says that FCCs cannot be used to pay for taxes, transfers or airfare. It is silent on the subject of using for just a deposit.
 

The last time I had a FCC, HAL applied the whole chunk at once to a new booking many months in advance, using it all up. What I want to do is use FCC for the $1200 deposit for a cruise in 6 months or so, but leave the remainder (many thousands of $$) in my account for now. I might want to place several deposits on different cruises, for example. 

 

 

I get all that. We had a Covid cancelation of a cruise we had already paid for. We got a 125% credit, and applied it to a new cruise. Never put any money down, just made final payment when due. That is why I asked the questions I asked.

[Haljo1935]

Typically FCC goes toward the cost of the cruise and FCD goes toward the deposit. 

Wouldn't hurt to call to see if they'll apply it the way you want.

Hope it works out - will you update us?

[Caribbean Chris]

48 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

I get all that. We had a Covid cancelation of a cruise we had already paid for. We got a 125% credit, and applied it to a new cruise. Never put any money down, just made final payment when due. That is why I asked the questions I asked.

Thanks for the good input. Sounds promising.

[Caribbean Chris]

2 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Typically FCC goes toward the cost of the cruise and FCD goes toward the deposit. 

Wouldn't hurt to call to see if they'll apply it the way you want.

Hope it works out - will you update us?

Yes, will advise once we make a choice and book it. 

[CurlerRob]

13 hours ago, Caribbean Chris said:

Yes, will advise once we make a choice and book it. 

Be sure you get your answers before committing to the booking. I have not tried this with HAL, but on two other lines they required the deposit in 'real money' before applying the credit. If there was  leftover credit from the fare, it could be used for shorex, etc.

 

When I challenged this approach, I was informed that it was "industry practice" but was not documented. After much work by my TA, the lines accepted the credit as deposit and partial fare payment as a "special favour". I was unable to segment the credit - it was all or nothing.

 

Hopefully, your experience will be different. 🍺🥌

[CruisingAndDiving]

I agree you should double check and confirm.  In my case, our FCC's covered about half of our next cruise.  I booked direct with HAL and was not required to make any extra deposit at booking.  Good luck!

[lavictoria]

On 6/13/2023 at 3:57 AM, Caribbean Chris said:

We are holding a fairly substantial FCC as a result of a Covid cancellation a few months ago (thank you, HAL). Has anyone booked a new cruise and used their FCC to make the initial deposit?

 

Exact same situation. My travel agent just booked using only the FCC from April. We don't have to put anything on the credit card until full payment time.

[mikebsxm]

Question on Future Cruise Deposit.  I remember from prior HAL cruises, that if you placed a FCD while onboard, it was usually $100 P/P and could be used as full deposit on a future cruise.  They also gave you (I think) 60 days after disembarking to make that $100 deposit.  Is that policy still in effect ?

[SilvertoGold]

(Way back when we got our first Covid credit for a cancelled cruise, the wording said you could not use it towards a deposit on another cruise, just to pay down the amount owing after the deposit. When the time came, it was used for the deposit with no fuss.  Always check and double check!)

 

MIKE:

The FCD/FCC that you purchase onboard is good for 4 years.  "should be USED WITHIN 4 years" is what it says on our confirmations for these. However, the HAL website shows "SAIL BY 2027" for the ones we made this year. The vocabulary is confusing.

Edited July 20, 2023 by SilvertoGold

[Haljo1935]

7 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

(Way back when we got our first Covid credit for a cancelled cruise, the wording said you could not use it towards a deposit on another cruise, just to pay down the amount owing after the deposit. When the time came, it was used for the deposit with no fuss.  Always check and double check!)

 

MIKE:

The FCD/FCC that you purchase onboard is good for 4 years.  "should be used within 4 years" is what it says on our confirmations for these.

 

19 minutes ago, mikebsxm said:

Question on Future Cruise Deposit.  I remember from prior HAL cruises, that if you placed a FCD while onboard, it was usually $100 P/P and could be used as full deposit on a future cruise.  They also gave you (I think) 60 days after disembarking to make that $100 deposit.  Is that policy still in effect ?

There's a difference between FCD (future cruise deposit) and FCC (future cruise credit).

The credit purchased onboard that @mikebsxm asked about is a FCD which is used as a deposit on a new booking. 

The credit @SilvertoGold mentioned receiving for Covid is a FCC, which can be applied to pay down the balance on a booking once the deposit has been paid.

I think @mikebsxm is asking about being able to purchase a FCD for a certain time after disembarking - I have heard that, too, but don't know if that's still offered. Please update us to your findings  - curious as I would love to be able to do that!

[SilvertoGold]

2 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

 

There's a difference between FCD (future cruise deposit) and FCC (future cruise credit).

The credit purchased onboard that @mikebsxm asked about is a FCD which is used as a deposit on a new booking. 

The credit @SilvertoGold mentioned receiving for Covid is a FCC, which can be applied to pay down the balance on a booking once the deposit has been paid.

I think @mikebsxm is asking about being able to purchase a FCD for a certain time after disembarking - I have heard that, too, but don't know if that's still offered. Please update us to your findings  - curious as I would love to be able to do that!

I am referencing both. I did some editing which you may have missed, so please go back and read my whole post.

Edited July 20, 2023 by SilvertoGold

[terrydtx]

On 6/13/2023 at 5:57 AM, Caribbean Chris said:

We are holding a fairly substantial FCC as a result of a Covid cancellation a few months ago (thank you, HAL). Has anyone booked a new cruise and used their FCC to make the initial deposit?

 

I’d rather not pay a $1200 deposit when I have plenty of credit to be used.

We had a huge FCC from having Covid last year on the Oosterdam, we used it to book our November Koingsdam cruise and we did not have to pay any deposit. Our invoice shows the applied FCC amount as the deposit.